Pittsburgh sports talk with the Trib columnist

Wakeup Call: Meddling owners? Yes, please!

Thanks to all who tended to the place in my absence, especially Joe with his indispensable links.

>> My Monday column takes a closer look at Sidney Crosby’s BROKEN NECK. Or at least it takes a closer look at his BROKEN NECK than some doctors might have.

>> The Penguins are 7-0 since my last Crosby column, so this might prove pivotal in one direction or the other. Then again, maybe not. My own view is that the Penguins actually started playing better with the 1-0 loss in Washington that was the last of the six-game losing streak that preceded this current streak.

>> One facet of the new column is the hope that Mario Lemieux gets involved in getting the Penguins and the Crosby camp on the same page in his recovery.

Getting ownership involved isn’t a revolutionary idea, which might be good to repeat to anyone howling about Art Rooney II having the audacity to make a personnel move within the company he runs. I have no issue whatsoever with his dumping Bruce Arians, and I say that independent of Arians’ merits. All too often in football, maybe more than other sports, the head coach really gets invested in his assistants, even to the point where shortcomings are overlooked or ignored. Within the Steelers’ structure, Kevin Colbert doesn’t have the authority to make a move like that. Only Rooney does. And he did. Big deal.

>> On the topic of meddling owners, do many of those same critics deride Bob Nutting for not being involved enough with the Pirates?

>> I’m also not buying this notion that the Steelers did something vicious in describing Arians’ departure as a retirement. This is a common courtesy when there is amenable parting of the ways in any workforce, to allow someone to resign or retire. Looks a lot better than an outright firing on the resume.

Go back and look at Arians’ comments in the York paper. He expressly acknowledges going along with this.

>> I had a couple questions for Nasir Robinson after Pitt’s big win over No. 9 Georgetown Saturday …

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiO0jRGaPd8

>> I’ll be back with my weekly TribLIVE Radio appearance today at 11:30 a.m.

>> Later tonight, I’ll be driving out to Indianapolis for six full days of Super Bowl coverage. Always a fun gig to cover the country’s biggest sporting event.

Comments

Once again, you have posed the million dollar question. Whether the break occured from Steckel’s or Hedman’s hit would be impossible to determine as the hits were days apart, more than a year ago.

It seems IMPOSSIBLE that Sid’s breaks occured in his recent comback, as that was such a short time ago, there really wouldn’t have been time for a bone to “completely heal”, and it would be easy to identify as a recent just healing injury.

Which brings us to your question of just who are these quacks that have been in charge of Sid’s care that they failed to spot a broken neck?

The fact that the Pen’s are not immediately saying “and we are comparing these CT/MRI’s to the one’s Pen’s doctors performed on Sid immediately after the Steckel hit” is very telling.

THEY DIDN’T EXAMINE SID AFTER HE WAS INJURED BY STECKEL.

So far, the Pen’s medical staff 1) failed to assess Sid for a concussion after the Steckel hit; 2) sent Sid on to Montreal after the Hedman hit with instructions to ‘be checked for a concussion if he woke up with symptoms the next morning'” 3) diagnosed Sid with a ‘mild concussion that would resolve within about a week’ 4) failed to evaluate his neck for injury despite the torque of the hit and complaints of severe neck painsoreness?

An average visit to an emergency room by any Joe off the street would have received better evaluation. Sid is suppose to be a valued athlete who has earned the Pens and the NHL millions of dollars. How could they have failed to provide him basic medical care?

It appears to fans that the only time he has made real progress is when his “camp” i.e. his agent/family has helped him go see specialists like Dr. Carrick, and now the Utah/California doctors.

I really hope Mario demands answers starting with a complete review of the steps taken by the Pen’s since the Winter Classic. The fact is that the Pen’s collective failures from the Coach’s failure to recognize his player was injured/impaired, to the Pen Trainers, Doctors and team officials inactions may have cost an amazing player his career.

I hope you enjoyed your time off, Dejan, but I’m so glad you’re back to give us your perspective on what I consider to be an absolutely ridiculous turn of events regarding Sidney Crosby. How on god’s green earth do you *miss* a broken neck? I have no other explanation than utter negligence on the part of the Penguins medical staff. When Max Pacioretty (forgive me for mentioning his name) took that horrible hit from Chara last year, it was discovered within days that he’d broken his C4 vertebra. He made an excellent recovery. I have to wonder how much better Sid might have done had he received proper treatment at the time he received the injury. (And I’m sorry, but the Krejci hit was not long ago enough for the fractures to be completely healed. They had to have happened a year ago.)

I’m just left shaking my head and hoping that some clarity is forthcoming.

DK: It was outstandingly full of nothing, this time off, Leah. Thanks for asking.

A third question which I am interesting in: Why are Dr. Bray’s MRI/CT’s being “evaluated by an independent specialist over the next few days”?

Does this mean that the Pen’s doctors have MRI/CT’s to compare them against? or that the Pen’s are questioning Dr. Bray’s reading? or that the Pen’s are taking the stance that Dr. Bray is Sid’s doctor and Dr. Burke is their doctor, and the Pen’s want “an impartial third party” to rule?

What’s up with that?

DK: Sounds to me like Penguins are questioning Bray’s findings. Which they should, as the column notes.

This whole Sid saga has given me a headache. Is it any wonder that Kris Letang reportedly sought treatment for his concussion from doctors in Quebec? Do Doctors Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dummer work for the Pens? I’m sick over the fact that we may have lost such a great player through such incompetence. He should have never been allowed to play that 3rd period in the Winter Classic and I blame every coach and trainer in that locker room for that one. If we find out that he played the Tampa Bay game with a broken neck, I may finally lose it.

However, all of that is water under the bridge now. All we can hope is that Sid gets a clearer picture of what his issues are and a path to recovery. It’s too bad he had to rack up the frequent flier miles to get these answers, but that’s what it’s come to.

After listening to the ‘breaking news’ I was surprised to hear the reporter say he had this information about Sid’s medical news as early as Wednesday, had emailed the Penguins (including Shero) and Brisson and asked for statements/confirmation of the details and the Penguins/Brisson chose to ignore his request.

The Penguins PR folks appeared to be caught flatfooted with this announcement. Yet if the Sportsnet reporter is to be believed, it appears it was made clear to them 3 days earlier that the story was about to be reported. Makes no sense why the Pens continually let these stories get out of hand instead of taking the lead.

it’s fan-tastic to see you back, DK, we missed you. Glad your vacation was full of “nothing”.
I’m just flibergusted about the latest news on Sid and his BROKEN NECK. Do you think it’s a possibility heads will roll? I mean, the organization looks pretty bad at this point.

I was expecting a story about GOD, is that still forthcoming??? Some of us were ready to head for the hills if necessary

DK Welcome Back! Glad you could “do nothing” for a while, we all need that from time to time. Must say though that my fav place for that endeavor is the Outer Banks of NC on the beach.
Kudos to Jamie and Dan B. for their contributions to righting their respective ships. Too bad we can’t have more actions to heat up the Hot Stove League rather than words, but hope will spring eternal after all.
Stuart

I don’t find it odd that Crosby’s injuries are not detailed. It is the NHL’s way. Isn’t this the home of lower body injuries? Don’t you think it is quite possible that all of this was known just not released? To me it all seems business as usual in the NHL and I don’t have a problem with that.

@JohnS and dcpinpgh ~ no way the medical staff knew and didn’t say something. Why else would it have taken Sid and Brisson this long to pursue it in California and Utah? Nahhhh…not buying they knew and just didn’t report it. That doesn’t make any sense at all.

While I agree that the Pens medical staff was negligent to some degree with Sid, he also has to take some responsibility. He has to tell the medical staff how he is really feeling. I am guessing that he minimized his symptoms when being examined, at least initially. This is standard behavior among athletes, simply a part of the culture, especially for leaders. Again, I am not excusing the Pens medical staff, simply saying that they probably got a highly minimized description of Sid’s level of discomfort.

The other part of this that I find incomprehensible is the apparent utter lack of communication between Sid and Mario. Sid lived in Mario’s home for a number of years. Aren’t they friends? How is is possible that they aren’t communicating about this on a personal level? I’ll say again that I think Sid is getting some very bad advice from his “camp”, specifically from his agent. If there is a villain involved in this entire saga, I am guessing it is Pat Brisson.

Perhaps we can get a DK column with some information on him?

If there is any one piece of good news related to this story, it’s the report that Sid and Mario watched the ASG together. Let’s hope that opens the door to some clearer direct communication between the two.

Seth at emptynetters on PG with a nice piece on Pens injury situation and their apparent inability to manage recoveries. When it’s laid out in nice, neat order, like he’s done, the overall situation becomes ever more absurd.

Just read this morning’s column. I was again struck by your recollection of Sid’s press conference following last year’s Winter Classic. “…his dazed eyes visible to most of us in Heinz Field’s news conference room.”

Just a subtle reminder that the Penguins began botching this situation that very night.

Finally home, finally done working from home, wife is in bed, mom in bed, kids in bed. Just me here trying to calm down and relax, so suffice it to say, not exactly the best mental state (tired & agitated) to read an article about Dan Bylsma speaking for Sidney Crosby.

In fact, too many people have spoken for Crosby and not the man himself.

If he’s mad, he should handle it professionally and get it over with because we don’t need another Lindros situation. And where’s Mario in all this, he can’t take an hands-off approach. He needs to demand an immediate review of this whole disaster with their medical staff, trainers, coaches, etc. and make sure this never happens again.

Crosby, Letang, Michalek, and Asham have had issues and weren’t diagnosed right away – totally unacceptable and yes, I know concussions are not the same but last time I checked, a hit to the hard or hard hit is a pretty good indication a player has the potential and if he starts complaining of nausea, neck pain, balance problems, etc. – maybe you should take the conservative approach and run some tests or take a few days off.

Unreal, really… and Troy Crosby needs to grow up and let Sidney control his career.

you’re missing my point and probably JohnS point. The Drs knew and they didn’t tell the fans. Reread both of our comments. That is why johns used ‘lower bodyinjury’ the team and the DRs know, but we don’t know

I didn’t exactly miss your point, I’m saying I find it hard to believe they knew and didn’t tell ANYONE. And I find it hard to believe the fans weren’t told something. If so, why is it coming out now? What was there to gain? Absolutely nothing. I think they all dropped the ball, but that’s just my humble opinion.